I Like 'Em
by Saphira112
Summary: Basically Mello asks Matt why he wears his goggles and Matt's reply is "I like 'em." Mello tries to get more out of his friend, but goes back to square one. Definite implied Matt/Mello


"Why don't you ever take them off?"

Matt looked up as Mello spoke; normally, he would've just kept his eyes on his Nintendo DS game and wait for Mello to hit him until he paid attention, but this time around, he was curious as to what the blonde was talking about. Saving his game just in case, Matt sighed and turned off his console.

He then turned and tilted his head at his friend. "What are you talking about?"

Mello gave him a dirty look over his bar of chocolate. The eyes were hard. "Those goggles. Why don't you ever take them off?"

A hand instinctively went to touch the said eyewear, caressing the round shape of it before dropping completely. "You've asked this before."

Mello threw something at Matt; it made a loud clank as it hit the wall, as Matt had ducked just in time. "Don't care; tell me why the hell you wear those things."

Matt shrugged indifferently, knowing how to hide himself. "I like 'em."

As if the discussion were over, he took out a packet of Camels and flicked open the top, pulling out a single nicotine stick from the small container. He took a lighter to it and took in a drag. And then it was swiped out of his hand. His eyes, now slightly hard behind the orange-yellow tinted goggles, looked up a bit surprised at Mello.

"I thought I told you to stop smoking, you fucking idiot," Mello said, crushing the cigarette in his hand and tossing the combination of ashes and paper to the floor.

Matt watched the shreds of his nicotine stick go, letting out a sigh. "Mells—"

"Shut up!" Mello glared. "Why do you insist on wearing that piece of shit eyewear all the fucking time?! You even wear them when we have sex! It's weird! So why!?"

Oh, so THAT was what this was about…

"I guess I forget about them," Matt said lightheartedly. "I'm too busy focusing on you."

Mello fought back a blush and the smoker thought he had won some part of the battle, seeing the pink flush on his friend's cheeks.

Mello regained his composure. "You fucking liar! Why can't you just tell me?! Do I have to beat it out of you?!"

Yes, perhaps he would have to. Matt tilted his head the other way now, regarding Mello with careful and deep eyes behind his goggles. He sighed again. "Mello, it's not that big a deal… honestly."

"If that's true, why don't you give me a decent answer?" Mello's words were tight and choppy as he grit his teeth in frustration.

Well, the blonde had a point there. And he had turned Matt's words around to use against him. Not as effective as it could've been, but good enough.

Matt shook his head. "It ever pass through your mind that it could be just to protect my eyes?"

Mello rolled his eyes. "Against what? Little dust bunnies under the bed?"

Matt snorted. Again, Mells did have somewhat of a point. "Perhaps gunshots?"

Mello raised an eyebrow, the look on his face speculative. "Why the fuck would someone shoot you in the eye, Matt?"

Matt shrugged. "Dunno; it's been known to happen before."

One of Mello's hands formed into a fist. "Bullshit. Now tell me."

"Why are you obsessing over what I wear over my eyes?"

"Because it's weird!"

"So is being able to eat five chocolate bars in under a minute."

"That's talent! What you do is just freaky!"

"What if I like being freaky?"

"You do not!"

"How do you know?" Matt raised an eyebrow, a grin already forming on his face.

Mello sat back down in his throne-like armchair, nibbling on the end of his chocolate bar, and staring at Matt. "I just do. So why do you wear them?"

Matt decided that evading was just going to get Mello pissed again and although he thought the blonde was sexy when pissed, it was going to cause him less pain to just answer the question. The gamer took in a breath and let it out. Slowly. Looking up at the ceiling. Contemplating.

"Well… the reason goes back a while… do you remember that one day when you first asked me?"

Mello raised an eyebrow, his expression one of disbelief. Ok, so he didn't. Matt put his face in his hand for a moment. Ugh. Now HE was the one who was embarrassed.

"Well, it was back at the orphanage and you were maybe nine or ten… you asked me and I told you."

"I would've remembered," Mello countered, taking a large bite of his chocolate bar with a peeved, but tamed expression.

Matt shrugged and flicked his game back on. The signal for the end of discussion. Silence passed between them for a few minutes except for the little battle cries coming from the tiny little speakers of the DS.

Mello tilted his head. "So why DO you wear them?"

Matt glanced up and a smile flashed for a moment before vanishing. As if never there. "I like em."

And everything was back where it began.


End file.
